Period 1, English 1G
Major unit: "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," Maya Angelou
First day: Writing assessment; classroom rules
Period 4, English 2CP
Major Unit: "Romeo and Juliet," William Shakespeare
First day: Writing assessment; classroom rules
My name is Mr. Robert Vanderheiden, and I am a student-teacher of English. Although this is my first semester of teaching, I have a lot of previous classroom experience -- and not just as a student.
I was an instructor in the United States Coast Guard from 1974 to 1981. During those years I taught Coast Guard Reservists; Active Duty Coasties; Navy, Marine, Army and Customs Service personnel; newspaper editors and reporters; and Sea Explorers. My Coast Guard specialties were Small Boat Operations (rescue boat school) and Instructor training. I taught computer use and electronic news gathering to staff at the Hearst-owned San Francisco Examiner.
My schooling includes high school in Long Beach, Calif., Coast Guard training in Alameda, Pleasanton, Treasure Island, and Petaluma, Calif., and Newport, R.I., and later a journalism degree from San Francisco State. I have specialized training in electronics, computers, telecommunications and technical writing from a variety of private schools and state universities and extensions. Before qualifying as a student teacher, I returned to SF State for five semesters of English, literature, and teaching arcana.
Did I mention that I'm trained in riot control? That I had a Secret clearance? That I was involved in more than 70 successful rescues (and worked on two fatal boating accidents)?
I enjoy traveling to Disneyland, Disney World, New Orleans, Boston, and Hawaii. My favorite books are science fiction, especially by Niven and Pournell. I grow orchids and collect Disney pins, U.S. and United Nations postage stamps, Hawaiian shirts, and ballpoint pens and pencils with logos. (I wear the shirts and don't use the pens.)
CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS:
1. Show up. On time.
2. Show respect. All the time, to all the class.
3. Be prepared to write every day.
4. Jokes welcome; have fun subject to 1-3 above.
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